de Paulo wins NMJC's Dutch Klein Award
de Paulo was named NMJC's first women's First-Team All-American since 1991
HOBBS, N.M. — New Mexico Junior College women's basketball player Angelica de Paulo was awarded the Dutch Klein Thunderbird Award at the NMJC athletic banquet – the most prestigious award given to a student-athlete at NMJC.
The award recognizes athletic ability along with a student athlete's leadership, scholastic work and citizenship.
de Paulo became the first NMJC women's player to be named an NJCAA First-Team All-American since 1991 after leading the Lady T-Birds in scoring at 16.5 points per game while also averaging 6.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks. Her 546 points this season is the third most in single-season NMJC history while her 736 career points is 13th in Lady T-Bird history.
The sophomore from Sao Paulo, Brazil, helped NMJC to one of its best seasons in program history as the Lady T-Birds went 29-4, won the WJCAC for the fourth year in a row, won the Region V Tournament and qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament for the third time in four seasons.
de Paulo was chosen from a field of finalists that included: Jacy Cave (baseball), Jordan Ayre (golf), Gleneve Grange (track and field), Rene Esparza (men's basketball) and Wyatt Hayes (rodeo).
This award was originated by Edward Harry Klein, commonly known as "Dutch." Klein was an active supporter of the NMJC athletic program.
The inaugural winner of the Dutch Klein was men's basketball student-athlete Charles Criss in 1967. Other winners include: Paul Shoemaker - men's track & field, James Black - men's golf, Kristin Holmans (McCool) - women's basketball, Cigi Allen (Hardin) – rodeo, Brian Flores – baseball, Melesia Mafileo (Blackwill) – women's track and field, and last year's winner and 2014-2015 NIRA Rookie of the Year, Kody Lamb.
There has only been one two-time winner of the award, men's basketball standout Andrew Pettes won it in 1968 and 1969.